US actor Matthew Perry, most famous for his role as the witty Chandler Bing in the beloved ’90s sitcom Friends, has died at the age of 54.
He was discovered deceased at his Los Angeles residence, with law enforcement sources confirming the news.
Friends, a series that followed the lives of six young friends in New York City, aired from 1994 to 2004 and concluded with a record-breaking 52.5 million viewers for its final episode, making it the most-watched TV episode of the 2000s.
The LA Times and TMZ were the first to report Perry’s demise, indicating that he was found unresponsive in a hot tub at his home.
The Los Angeles Fire Department responded to a “water emergency” at an address in the Pacific Palisades area, without specifying Perry’s name.
Warner Bros., the producer of Friends, expressed their deep appreciation for Perry, describing him as a “true gift to us all.”
Matthew Perry, born in Massachusetts in 1969, spent his formative years in Ottawa, Canada, where he attended elementary school with Justin Trudeau, who became the Canadian Prime Minister.
Trudeau fondly recalled their schoolyard days and the joy Perry brought to people worldwide sayig, “Matthew Perry’s passing is shocking and saddening. I’ll never forget the schoolyard games we used to play, and I know people around the world are never going to forget the joy he brought them. Thanks for all the laughs, Matthew. You were loved – and you will be missed.”
Perry relocated to Los Angeles during his adolescence, where he took on various roles, including his part as Chazz Russell in Boys Will Be Boys, along with appearances in shows like Growing Pains.
However, it was his portrayal of Chandler Bing in Friends that catapulted him to international stardom.
Despite his success, Perry grappled with addiction issues, primarily painkillers and alcohol, leading to multiple stints in rehabilitation facilities.
In a 2016 interview with BBC Radio 2, he disclosed that he could not recall three years of filming Friends due to substance abuse.
In a more recent interview, Perry admitted to not having watched the show. He cited his struggles with addiction and the physical toll it took on him, leading to his reluctance to revisit the series.
Nevertheless, he contemplated beginning to watch Friends to appreciate its impact across different generations.
Perry’s health issues, including a burst colon in 2018, were attributed to his substance abuse, necessitating several surgeries.
The news of Perry’s passing has shocked Los Angeles, where he played a central role in the success of Friends, thanks to his character’s perfect blend of wit and heart.
Perry also ventured into film with roles in movies like Fools Rush In, Almost Heroes, and The Whole Nine Yards, but he never found a project that matched the immense success of Friends. His later TV work, however, received critical acclaim.
His role as associate White House counsel Joe Quincy in Aaron Sorkin’s The West Wing earned him two Emmy nominations for outstanding guest actor in a drama series in 2003 and 2004.
Perry played the lead role in Sorkin’s subsequent series, Studio 60 On The Sunset Strip, and even created and produced his show, Mr. Sunshine, where he played the lead character.
Perry’s final significant TV project, apart from the Friends reunion, was a TV reboot of The Odd Couple, which ran for three seasons in the United States. In 2017, Perry tweeted about discovering the show’s cancellation when he arrived on set and found his face painted over with green paint on the stage door.
Maggie Wheeler, known for her role as Janice, Chandler’s troublesome ex-girlfriend in Friends, was the first of Perry’s co-stars to publicly pay tribute to the actor.
She spoke about the enduring joy Perry brought to countless people and the creative moments they shared.
Perry’s final Instagram post, shared a few days before his passing, featured him relaxing in a rooftop pool and has since garnered numerous tributes from his fans.
Matthew Perry is survived by his parents, John Bennett Perry and Suzanne Perry, who separated when he was a baby.
He had five half-siblings and never married or had children.
He was inspired by his father, who was also an actor and made a brief appearance in a 1997 episode of Friends as the father of Rachel’s love interest, Josh.
Soured-BBC
